Chapter 6 – The Hallmark of an S-class Alpha?
Title: 顶级掠食者 (Alpha Predator)
Author：水千丞 (ShuiQianCheng)
Translator: K (@kin0monogatari)
Protagonists ：沈岱 (Shen Dai -MC), 瞿末予 (Qu Moyu -ML)
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The Qu family’s ancestral house, although very old itself, paradoxically gave the impression of a family in decline. This manor held an antique charm that deserved careful appreciation, having borne witness to the family’s glory for three generations.
After stepping out of the car, Qu Moyu approached Shen Dai and whispered, “Don’t be nervous.”
His voice retained the youthful transparency. But it resonated with a calm and commanding authority well beyond his years. When he uttered “don’t be nervous,” his tone conveyed more of an order than a source of comfort.
“I’m not nervous,” Shen Dai replied. In truth, he wasn’t nervous because this wasn’t his home. There was no need for him to assert himself. He was merely a decorative presence, not defending a dissertation proposal. As long as he played the role of a competent ornament, he could seamlessly adapt to any situation. With Qu Moyu at his side, there was no reason for him to fret.
However, in the next moment, he found himself genuinely anxious. This is because Qu Moyu had taken his hand.
Qu Moyu’s broad, dry, and powerful hand enveloped his own. The faint scent of ebony lingered in the air. Every sensation—the touch, warmth, fragrance—made Shen Dai feel as though he were enveloped by Qu Moyu himself.
Boom, boom, boom—those were the echoes of his own racing heart.
Qu Moyu led him into the house, where classical music filled the old building. People were scattered throughout the vast living room, engaging in conversations or admiring the interior. The entrance of Qu Moyu and Shen Dai immediately drew the attention of everyone present.
“Moyu is back,” an elder greeted him with a smile and a nod.
“Hello, Second Uncle,” Qu Moyu replied, exchanging pleasantries with each family member. He then introduced Shen Dai, who stood beside him with a smile, patting Shen Dai’s lower back.
“Greetings, esteemed elders,” Shen Dai offered a slight bow.
“I hear he’s quite adept at his studies,” one elder remarked.
“That’s true. We actually met at work,” Qu Moyu added.
Polite discussions ensued. But in reality, there was little interest in Shen Dai. The Qu family hailed from a wealthy background, had extensive worldly exposure, and was brimming with talent. It was evident to them that Qu Moyu’s decision not to hold a wedding signified Shen Dai’s inability to assert himself. Additionally, rumours about Shen Dai’s background had reached their ears, further relegating him to a position that hardly seemed like “Qu Moyu’s wife.”
Shen Dai was acutely aware of his status in this gathering, choosing to remain unobtrusive.
For an Alpha, particularly an S-class Alpha, obtaining a marriage certificate held little significance. A wedding, or even having a child, didn’t equate to commitment. The most profound connection with an Omega came in the form of a ‘mark’. An Alpha could only ‘mark’ one Omega at a time. Once ‘marked’, no other Omega could bear their offspring unless the ‘marked’ Omega passed away or the ‘mark’ was intentionally removed. Coercing an Omega to erase their ‘mark’ was against the law. It was an Alpha’s instinct to propagate their genes and select the finest offspring through quantity. The ‘mark’ symbolised an S-class Alpha’s life-long dedication to an Omega, representing a monopoly over reproductive resources and intense emotional bonds. During the annual susceptible period, entrusting their most vulnerable self to the Omega without defences.
While most Alphas ‘marked’ their lifelong partners through marriage, signifying sincerity and respect, S-class Alphas were different. The solitary kings were averse to being bound by others. Only a select few would ‘mark’ an Omega—primarily as a strategic asset for resource cooperation.
This explained why Qu Moyu’s cousin, who had ‘marked’ You Baiyue, was seen as provocatively attempting to start a conflict. Unaware of the You family’s hidden treasures, Qu Chengchen was understandably curious.
After a brief interlude, a middle-aged Alpha descended the staircase. He was Qu Shen, the chairman of the board of directors at Xingzhou Group and Qu Moyu’s father, whom Shen Dai had previously only encountered at the annual meeting.
“Father,” Qu Moyu said, leading Shen Dai towards him.
Qu Shen nodded, his gaze shifting to Shen Dai.
Shen Dai bowed politely and said, “President Qu.”
“Well, you must be Shen Dai, correct? I’ve heard that you are a researcher at the Rare Earth Research Institute and a student of Professor Liu?” Qu Shen inquired.
“Yes,” Shen Dai replied.
“The refining and separation technology your research group has been working on is of great importance to the future of our company. It has the potential to significantly enhance our nation’s international competitiveness in the rare earth industry. You should apply yourself diligently,” Qu Shen encouraged.
“Yes, we are fully committed to meeting your expectations,” Shen Dai assured.
“Come with me; there’s something I’d like to discuss,” Qu Shen told a man who appeared to be the butler. “Dinner will be served at half-past seven.”
Qu Moyu accompanied his father upstairs, leaving Shen Dai alone in a room full of strangers. He discreetly retreated to a wall and admired the Holbein painting hanging there—a piece that, if placed in the Qu family’s living room, would likely be genuine.
Shen Dai’s grandfather had been a Chinese painter. While he hadn’t produced an extensive body of work, he was revered in the fields of education, art research, and appreciation. If his grandfather were still alive, Shen Dai would have taken a picture with his mobile phone to share and engage in a meaningful conversation with the elderly man about the painting.
At that moment, he keenly missed his grandparents. Despite the presence of numerous people in the room—though it couldn’t be called lively, given that everyone was in their own company—he felt a deep sense of solitude. His grandmother, he imagined, might currently be tending to a pot of flowers and a book in a small unfamiliar house that was not her own. She would be reminiscing about the past and the loved ones she’d lost, all while bearing the weight of pain, loneliness, and regret for the remainder of her days.
The sudden wave of sadness tightened his chest so he failed to notice the door opening once more as another person entered the room.
Only when he heard approaching footsteps did he turn his head. A tall young man stood beside him, bearing a striking resemblance to Qu Moyu in many ways. Equally handsome and impressive, he exuded an air of arrogance, accompanied by the powerful Alpha pheromones that made his presence undeniable. Shen Dai immediately surmised his identity.
“Hello, I’m Qu Chengchen,” he greeted Shen Dai, placing his hands in his pockets. Grinning with an air of condescension, he adopted the casual demeanour of a nobleman. “You are the wife that our eldest brother just married. I suppose I should address you as my sister-in-law.”
Shen Dai nodded and replied politely, “Hello.”
Qu Chengchen’s eyes appraised Shen Dai from head to toe. “You truly don’t appear to be an Omega. How did Uncle You suddenly… ‘acquire’ you?”
Shen Dai inwardly fumed at the audacity of this man, who had stolen someone else’s fiancée and thought he could make himself at home in someone else’s nest. However, he maintained a composed and natural facade. “I don’t have all the details myself.”
Qu Chengchen raised an eyebrow. “Are you genuinely You Xinghai’s son?”
“Yes.”
“And are you truly an Omega?”
“Yes.”
Qu Chengchen hadn’t anticipated Shen Dai’s candid responses, which seemed baffling. He narrowed his eyes slightly. “But why can’t I detect your pheromones?” With that, he walked around Shen Dai, leaning in and approaching the back of Shen Dai’s neck.
Instinctively, Shen Dai attempted to turn away to evade the intrusion. The glands at the back of his neck held symbolic significance even greater than his throat—it was a vulnerable spot. When someone abruptly encroached upon those glands, instinct compelled him to initiate defensive measures.
Yet, his body abruptly froze. It was as if trapped in a nightmare. He lost control of himself, forced to allow Qu Chengchen’s face to draw nearer to the back of his neck, where he wrinkled his nose and inhaled deeply.
“Well, you are indeed an Omega, but your pheromone scent is remarkably faint,” Qu Chengchen noted.
In the next instant, Shen Dai’s body was released from its restraint. He took a step back, glaring at Qu Chengchen with a mixture of anger and resentment.
Nearly everyone experiences Alpha pheromone suppression to some degree during their formative years—some due to their inability to control it in their youth, others owing to conflicts, and, more seriously, in cases of malicious intent. In comparison to individuals of other genders, Alphas wield their pheromones like boxers with their fists. An Alpha’s ability to exert dominance varied depending on their class. But in a society governed by laws, Alphas were obliged to temper their strength to prevent harm to others. Most of the time, they didn’t resort to physical violence, achieving their objectives through the release of a controlled amount of pheromones to intimidate others. When they did employ physical force, they typically did so at an appropriate level—much like a boxer in a regulated match, ensuring the contest remained fair.
However, Qu Chengchen’s earlier suppression of Shen Dai’s pheromones constituted a serious breach of etiquette. While it had merely rendered Shen Dai immobile temporarily, it was already a grievous violation. What unsettled Shen Dai the most was Qu Chengchen’s minimal pheromone release. In a room full of people, none had detected it except for Shen Dai. Was this the hallmark of an S-class Alpha? When dealing with ordinary boxers, individuals could generally put up some form of resistance. In that moment, however, Qu Chengchen had controlled him as effortlessly as drawing a breath.
Qu Chengchen blinked his eyes. “If my actions have upset you, I apologise. How would you describe your pheromone scent? It’s actually quite pleasant, but exceedingly faint. Could it be that your glands aren’t fully developed? Might this affect your fertility?”
“Chengchen,” Qu Moyu’s voice, tinged with a sense of authority, emanated from behind.
Shen Dai took a deep breath and turned to look at Qu Moyu. Panic was evident in his eyes, a stark contrast to his usual composed demeanour.
Qu Moyu offered Shen Dai a reassuring glance and then turned his gaze toward Qu Chengchen with his demeanour cold and unwavering. “What exactly were you attempting to do?”
“Big brother,” Qu Chengchen replied with a grin, “I was simply getting to know my sister-in-law.”
“By attempting to scent my wife’s glands?”
“I apologise.”
“I didn’t hear the apology,” Qu Moyu stated, his gaze penetrating as he held Qu Chengchen’s eyes.
The smile gradually faded from Qu Chengchen’s face. In the span of two adjacent floor tiles, the two top-tier Alphas engaged in a silent standoff, evoking the image of two tigers confined in the same cage. The room’s occupants remained silent, struck by an unspoken tension.
Ultimately, Qu Chengchen shrugged and offered another smile. He then addressed Shen Dai, “I’m sorry.”
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Next Update: 2022.04.08
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*Proofread by 2023.09.03* I will proofread other chapters when I’m free.*
